Suharto son arrest ordered

Tommy led a flamboyant lifestyle during his father's 32-year rule

Officials have ordered the arrest of the youngest son of former Indonesian president Suharto.

Hutomo Mandala Putra, known as Tommy, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for corruption in a verdict announced on Wednesday.

Former President Suharto faces a trial of his own

Officials said he would be detained and sent to Cipinang state jail within a matter of days unless he sought an amnesty from President Abdurrahman Wahid.

"He has to immediately serve his sentence...[His arrest] should be executed within the next one or two days," Justice Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra said.

Tommy is the first member of Mr Suharto's family to be found guilty of corruption during the former president's 32-year iron rule.

Land deal

He was convicted of a 1995 land-swap deal involving government property, which is said to have caused losses to the state of some 95bn rupiah ($10.8m).

The court also ordered him to pay 30.6bn rupiah ($3.5m) in compensation to the state.

The verdict overturned Tommy's acquittal by a lower court in October 1998 on the same charges.

His lawyer, Nudirman Munir, said he would appeal. He told the Indonesian Observer newspaper that the verdict "smells of politics".

Earlier reports had said he would be able to remain free until the appeal's procedure was exhausted.

No show

Mr Suharto himself was due in court on Thursday for the resumption of his own multi-million dollar corruption trial, but failed to show.

A medical examination by an independent panel of doctors found he was unfit to stand trial.

The former president is accused of stealing at least $583m in government money to bankroll businesses controlled by his supporters and children, including Tommy.

Bomb attacks

Earlier this month, President Wahid ordered police to arrest Tommy Suharto following a number of bombings in Jakarta.

Tommy surrendered himself to police for questioning, but was released. Police said they had insufficient evidence to charge him.

There has been speculation that the spate of bombings are connected to the trial of his father.